Pistols which utilize a portion of the expanding gasses resulting from burning propellant have been described. For example, some pistols have utilized a portion of the expanding gases to directly impinge upon, and drive, a slide back. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,273,460; 3,306,168; and 3,657,960. Such pistols utilize a relatively large number of parts in the gas actuating system, at least some of which are delicate and unable to withstand prolonged rigorous use. However, pistols of this type are not fully gas operated.
The pistol of the invention, however, provides a fully gas actuated pistol which utilizes a relatively small number of parts. Moreover, it exhibits substantially reduced recoil when compared to other handguns of the same caliber while at the same time imparting higher bullet velocity. The pistol of the invention is fully locked (as will be discussed more fully hereinafter) until the bullet passes a gas-actuating port. This enables compact arrangement of the elements of the pistol and aids in reducing recoil and providing higher bullet velocity. Still further, the pistol of the invention supports and locks the barrel at both the breech and muzzle ends thereby enhancing its accuracy.